HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOMM. 186 Heffron, P - Land FundFebruary 3,2010
RE:Land Fund
Aloha Edmund Haitsuka,David Fuertes,Daphne Honma,Casey Jarman,Guy Kaulukukui,Jamae
Kawauchi,Joseph Kealoha,Alapaki Nahale A,Susie Osborne,Todd Shumway and Scott Unger:
Please:
*Reinstate the 2%amount that 63%of voters approved in 2006.
*PUT THE 2%LAND FUND ON THE BALLOT AND LET THE VOTERS DECIDE (AGAIN)
*We need the 2%amount or $4 million per year not the ½%or $1 million that is currently
being proposed.The $11 million in the fund is depleted with the purchase of 151 acres at
Kaiholena in North Kohala for $6.7 million and the soon to be purchased 2nd portion of Kawa
Bay for $3.9 million.To see the Open Space commission's recommended purchases for 2009 go
to http://www.hawaii county.com/finance/ponc.htm
*It needs to be stated that the highest and best use of the Land Fund is to seek dollar for
dollar matching funds to double the money in the fund to maximize land conservation.
*It needs to be stated that the land fund should be an interest bearing account.AND that
deposits should be made after property taxes are collected twice per year so more funds are
available and interest
can accrue.So far$403,551.00 in interest has been added since
late 2006 to January 2010.
*It needs to be stated that the Land fund be used for acquisition ONLY and NOT for
maintenance OR development of parks.IN the 2007 08 Hawaii county report it states that $7.1
million in the budget is to be used for park maintenance.
*It needs to be clarified that IF the 2%tax set aside is used to pay the debt on an Open Space
Bond,that the bond should not be part of an aggregate bond issue,so that citizens can
watchdog how the fund is used to pay fees,commissions and other bond expenses.
Mahalo and best regards,
Peter Heffron
95 West Naauao Street
Hilo,Hawaii 96720
Tel:934 0527